On June 18, INP was visited by a U.S. and ISTC delegation consisting of: Victoria Justine Sanchez, Department of State, U.S. Embassy, Astana, Department of Energy, Attache, Jonathan Joseph Henkin, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, FIRST Program Officer, and Bauyrzhan Almagzhanov, ISTC Senior Manager in Astana.
The purpose of the delegation's visit was to discuss with the Institute management the implementation of a project under the FIRST program within which a small-module reactor simulator will be purchased, supplied and installed for the Institute.
During the meeting Director General Prof. Sayabek Sakhiyev made a presentation to the guests on the main activities, achievements and development strategy of the Institute. The delegation and Institute’s management inspected the room designated for the small modular reactor simulator and discussed the main technical conditions and requirements. After the simulator is installed at the INP in Almaty, it is expected to become a regional simulator for the countries of Central Asia.
During the visit, the delegation also visited the Institute's nuclear and radiation facilities, such as the radioactive waste disposal points, including the new storage facility for sealed spent radionuclide sources built under the U.S. DOE financial support , the WWR-K research reactor, and the ELV-4 and ILU-10 electron accelerators.
The delegation highly appreciated the scientific and production achievements of the Institute and wished further success and fruitful cooperation.
The FIRST program is aimed at promoting small modular reactors. In the Central Asian countries, the International Science and Technology Center is the operator of the program.
